The Element of Love in Hindu Tradition with a View to the Mystical Path of the Bauls of Bengal

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Religion and Comparative Mysticism, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Teaching, University of Ferdowsi Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Corresponding Author, Associate Professor, Department of Religion and Comparative Mysticism, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Teaching, University of Ferdowsi Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Religion and Comparative Mysticism, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Teaching, University of Ferdowsi Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

One of the most important ways of salvation in the Hindu tradition is through love. In this tradition, they use the terms kāma and bhakti to express physical and divine love. An important feature of the mystical path of the Bauls is their excessive emphasis on the element of love. In other words, love is the main religious method of the Bauls of Bengal and the focus of their attention. Some believe that the Bauls emerged because of this element of love. This article is written in a descriptive-analytical manner, with the aim of examining the element of love in the mystical path of the Bauls.The great and intense love that Bauls sing about is addressed to the divine loved and beloved who resides in the innermost depths of their hearts. In Bauls poems and songs, this beloved is mentioned by many titles, the most famous of which is Muner Manush or "the Man of the heart", whose place is in the human body and heart. The findings of this study show that in this way, special attention is paid to physical and divine love. They, like the Tantras, believe that the means of experiencing divine love is through human love; it is through the union of the physical forms of man and woman that its divine nature can be achieved. In the Bauls way, all men and women are physical manifestations of the ontological principles of Krishna and Radha. They believe that the true beloved is within man, and therefore man must seek Him within himself, not wander from place to place to find Him. Only the thin veil of illusion and māya prevents man from knowing the true Beloved, and although He is near, makes it appear distant. Jivn mukti is one of the ways to attain it.

Keywords

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Comparative Study of Religions and Mysticism
Volume 10, Issue 2
October 2026
Pages 405-431

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History

  • Receive Date: 26 March 2025
  • Revise Date: 10 June 2025
  • Accept Date: 13 September 2025

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